Cleveland Cavaliers signed Killian Hayes, former seventh overall pick

The Cleveland Cavaliers are signing former No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes. Hayes, a 24-year-old point guard, played six games with the Brooklyn Nets this past season, averaging 9 points, three rebounds, and five assists per game in 27 minutes.

Killian was drafted seventh overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. After spending four years in Detroit, he was released in January of 2024. Hayes ultimately did not live up to the expectations that come with being a top ten pick in the NBA, putting up 8 ppg, 2.9 reb, and 5.2 ast.

After he was released from the Pistons, Hayes was picked up by the Brooklyn Nets, where the guard showed signs of promise in his young career. During his time in Detroit, a notable weakness in Hayes’ game was his shooting, particularly his three-point shooting. Hayes shot 27.7% from behind the arc in his four years with the Pistons; the average percentage from three in the NBA is currently around 35-36%. When he joined the Nets, though, it was a different story.

While Hayes only played six games in Brooklyn, he shot 38% from three in those six games. Hayes also matched a career high in three-point field goals made with five on February 26th this year against the Oklahoma City Thunder. A promising sign from someone who has unfortunately struggled from range in his career.

Why did the Cavs make this signing?

The easiest answer is that Hayes will be another depth piece at guard for the Cavs. With Darius Garland set to miss some time to start the season, Ty Jerome leaving in free agency, and newcomer Lonzo Ball on the way to Cleveland, Tyrese Proctor coming in from the draft, there could be some uncertainty at the guard position. Signing Hayes will provide another experienced body to play the guard position.

The details of the contract are not available yet, but it is believed that the deal will be around the minimum. The Cavs had two available roster spots, so it was not a surprise for the Cavs to make this deal. The question really is, will Hayes be able to turn around his career in Cleveland and get that ugly “bust” tag off of his name?

That question remains to be answered, but with the playing time available at guard, if Hayes were to perform well in training camp, he could secure his spot. Hayes could also be playing for the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs' G-League affiliate, as he did in Brooklyn for the Long Island Nets. Hayes averaged over 20 ppg and shot 41.7% from three in 18 games played for Long Island.